Towing bar



A. HORTON July 15, 1947.

TowING BAR Filed May 11, 1945 Patented` July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a towing bar, and more particularly to means for pulling an airplane'or other vehicle having a swivelably mounted wheel.

One feature of this invention is that it provides a simple rugged towing bar which can be easily handled and which is adapted to be clamped over a mounting part, as the `axle nuts, of the nose wheel of an airplane to enable it to be easily pulled in and out of a hangar or otherwise moved about under conditions where it is not desirable to use its own power.

Another feature o-f this invention is that engagement and disengagement of the towing bar with the wheel mounting may be very quickly and easily effected; still another feature of this invention is the provision of spring means normally holding the jaw members of the device in operative engagement with a mounting part such as an axle nut; a further feature vof this invention is the provision of a direct acting operating lever so arranged that one end thereof is near the transverse handle member of the towing bar, so that a hand positioned on the towing bar may maintain the operating lever in a desired position to provide positive holding means, supplementing the spring, for holding the jaws in place;

Vand still a further feature of this invention is that the towing bar may be used for power towing where desired. Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of my invention, partly broken away, showing the movable jaw member in axle engaging position in solid lines and in disengaged position in dotted lines; and Figure 2 is a side View of the device shown in Figure 1.

While the towing bar here illustrated and claimed has other uses, it was particularly designed for and its operation will be described in connection with a light airplane of the type having a steerable or swivelably mounted nose wheel. In moving such an airplane into and out of a hangar, in lining it up in close quarters with other airplanes on a runway apron, or the like, it is conventional not to use the power of the plane itself, but to tow it manually, by a light tractor, or the like. Where towing is done merely by hooking on a chain or rope, the towing or pulling must be done by one man and steering by another man; and if the plane is to be pushed merely by pushing against the wings or the like, two men are again necessary properly to handle the plane, despite the fact that many light planes can be easily pulled along by one man. There have been some previous efforts to provide a towing bar or pulling means which could be clamped on to the swivelable wheel of a plane, but these have usually been cumbersome, slow and relatively difficult to manipulate, and unsatisfactory for other reasons.

I have provided a very simple yet effective towing bar comprising two principal parts, one such part comprising a jaw member and operating lever, this part being pivotally mounted on the other part comprising an elongated body portion having another jaw member rigidly mounted on one end thereof and pulling means mounted at the other end thereof, as a transverse handle or connector means for power towing, or both; and maintenance of the jaws in desired operative engagement with a wheel mounting part, as the axle nuts, is effected principally by a spring pulling the jaw members together.

Referring now more particularly to the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated herewith, the towing bar is shown as comprising an elongated body portion I0, which may for example be about 28 or 30 inches long, with a jaw member I I rigidly mounted on one end thereof, and with pulling means on the other end thereof. This pulling means is here shown as comprising a transversely extending handle member I2, here shown as in the form of a pipe which may be 20 or 24 inches long, and a connector ring I3 is provided for power towing where a light tractor, automobile or the like is to do the pulling. While these parts may be initially made and assembled in any desired manner, I prefer to form the jaw member and body portion integrally in a single member and to weld the handle member to the end of the body portion.

The right-hand end of the elongated body portion I0 (speaking with respect to the position of the parts as shown in the drawing) is provided with a yoke consisting of the parts Illa and Illb, this yoke receiving a pin I4 serving as the pivotal mounting for the other major part of the towing bar. This other part comprises the other jaw member I5 and an operating lever I6, these being preferably integrally cast as a single piece. The operating lever IB has its other or operating end, here identified as I6a, located in a motionlimiting slot I2a in the transverse handle member I2, as may be best seen in Figure 1. The iever is approximately three times as long as the jaw member I5 moved thereby, so that any force applied to the end IGa of the lever is considerably 3 multiplied at the engaging end of the jaw member l5.

The two jaw members are provided on the inner surfaces of their end portions, here identified as lla and lea, with pockets Ila and 15a', which pockets may be about 11A inches in diameter and one inch deep. These pockets are adapted to receive and engage the axle nuts Il and I8 on the ends of the axle passing through between the ends ofthe mounting Ayoke I9 carrying thefnose wheel 20 of the `planes A heavy spring 2l is fastened to the two jaw members near their base portion, and serves to pull the ends thereof together with considerable force.

If a light airplane has been landed and taxied jaw members at the other end of the body prtion, the end of each jaw member including means adapted to make engagement with said axle ends, one jaw member being pivotally mounted on the body portion and the other jaw member being rigidly mounted thereon; and manually operable lever means for moving the pivotally mounted jaw member, the lever means having one end rigidly connected to the jaw member moved thereby.

2. A towing-bar. for an airplanefor .other vehicle having a vswivelably mounted wheel having axle ends projecting on each side thereof, including:

an elongated body portion; pulling means at one .mend of the body portion, this means comprising up to a position on the Aapron in front oli-'the hangar, for example, one may quickly and easily, t.

pull the plane into the hangar with this towing bar. It is merely necessary to walk up to the nose wheel of the plane,-push the lever IB to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure l, and placefthe ends of the jawmembers lvl and l5 on each side Aof the axle nuts l-'I and I8. TheV lever member I6 may then be .releasedandthe-jaws will move in, closing in on theaxle nuts to receive them firmly iirtherpockets provided for thispur'pose. The outerend of the. handle slot 12d limits the outward movementof the end Ilia of the lever, and thus limits the-.inward movement'of the ends of thejawmembersfll and I5, preferably so that the limit of their inward movement is avery small distance, as le inch, vfrom theV 'wheel yoke. This limiting action enables easierfpivoting-'of the .pulling bar in use, and prevents. they jaw rr'iernbersfrom scraping the tire and jwheel'when the deviceis being applied or removed. Pullingforce'maythen beapplled to the other endlof the towing bar and-this serves not vonlyl-to'pl'lll theplane but also to direct the movement thereof, as..` any side-component of energy at the pulling end of the towing bar is translated into swivelling'movement of nthenose wheel. If a'- man is .pulling'the planevvith.- this tovvirig bar he would'preferably grasp the itransveie handle 'member on` each side of the -body portion l), walking backwards, and by having the heel of his right hand against the inside of the end 16d of the operating lever, any chance of the ljaw"r'nembers slipping off of the axlenuts is preventedffa's the position of the hand relative to the lever-member provides positive locking of the jaw1nembers over the axle nuts. Under-all ordinary ,circumstancesY 'the'springZl is suflicient to maintain the ja-w memberslin desired position during towing; so thatltowing canbe effected merely bycoilnectio to the ring .l,3=fwhenvdesied. When the-plane has been located inthe desired position, 'the twing bar may be very easily removed inerely' by againpushing `the end 'Mia of the lever `member in toward the body portion to move the jawl`5 to the. position .shown in dotted linesiriFigure 1. Y `While"`I have shownand Vdescribed certain em-` bodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it f o Changes, thereforain.the-construction and arrangement may be made without departing fromtlie spirit and scope ofthe invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claimt Il; A towing bar-.for anairplaneorv othervehicle pulling means Iat one end of the body, portionyv -is capable ,of many modications..

a transverse handle member; jaw members at the .other end .of the body portion each having a pocket .therein .adapted to receive said axle ends, one jaw member being pivotally mounted on the bodyportion and the other jaw member being rigidly mounted thereon; and manually operable lever meansfor moving the pivotally mounted jaw member., the lever means having oneend rigidly connected to the jaw member moved'thereby and the other end adjacent said handle member.

3.v A `towing bar for an airplane or other vehicle having -a swivelably mounted wheel vhaving axle ends projecting on each .side thereof, including: an elongated body portion; pulling means at one end of the body;glcortiim;Vjaw. members at'xthe other end of the bo'dy .portion each having a pocket therein adapted to receive said axle ends, one jaw member being pivotally mounted on thebody portionand the other jawrmember being rigidly mounted thereon; :and manually operablev lever means for moving the .pivotally mounted jaw membenthelever means havingone end rigidly connected to the jaw member movedfthereby 4. Ak towing bar-for an airplane or other vehicle having a swivelablyhmrounted wheel, including: an elongated body portion; pulling means at one end `of' the bodyporticn, this means comprising a transverse handle member.; jaw members at the other endV of the body portion adapted to engage a part of thel mounting otsaidfwlfleel', one jaw member being pivotally mounted'on the body portion and the other jawjmember being rigidly mounted thereon; and manuallyy operable lever meansv for.` moving -the pivotal ly -mounted jaw member, the .lever meanshaving Aone endrigidly connectedto the jaw member moved thereby and the other end adjacent said ,handlev member, the construction and arrangement being such that a hand positioned on-the handle member is adapted tfxheldtheleverrieans in aeoitonimainiainng the Jaw inerti?ersV irl-.Operative esasemeiitwith theft/'heel mauritius., l

5.A towing bar for-.an airplane or `other vehicie having a swivelably mount'edr'wheel having axle endsprojecting on each side thereof, `includirlsl an elongated, bOflY r0rti0ni-aul1ing .means at eedf 'iii e.-b0dyreriien.; Jaw .members attire-,other endof the body portion each having a: gokstftheree .adapted tweeen/,e said axle ends, atleast @ne iavrmemberbeing pviallv mounted; sm; .the'bod-y Dertien.: manuallyopefable leverfmeails. for moving ,arivotallr munie@ law member ;V `,and spring. means,l urging said jawmembers together.

6.1itowingbarordan airplane or other vehicle havinaasifivelablv .mountedwheeL vincluding: .an` elongated' body portion;` kpulling means at Gegend-.Cible bodvportion, this. means comprising, a .transverse-.bandi .member; law members at the other end; of ...11e body .'prtion adapted to engage a part of the mounting of said wheel, one jaw member being pivotally mounted on the body portion and the other jaw member being rigidly mounted thereon; manually operable lever means for moving the pivotally mounted jaw member, the lever means having one end rigidly connected to the jaw member moved thereby and the other end adjacent said handle member, the construction and arrangement being such that a hand positioned on the handle member is adapted to hold the lever means in a position maintaining the jaw members in operative engagement with the wheel mounting; and spring means urging said jaw members together.

7. A towing bar for an airplane or other vehicle having a swivelably mounted wheel, including: an elongated body portion; pulling means at one end of the body portion, this means comprising a transverse handle member and Connector means for power towing; jaw members at the other end of the body portion adapted to engage a part of the mounting of said wheel, one jaw member being pivotally mounted on the body 6 portion and the other jaw member being rigidly mounted thereon; manually operable lever means for moving the pivotally mounted jaw member`I the lever means having one end rigidly connected to the jaw member moved thereby and the other end adjacent said handle member, the construction and arrangement being such that a hand positioned on the handle member is adapted to hold the lever means in a position maintaining the jaw members in operative engagement with the Wheel mounting; and spring means urging said jaw members together.

ARTHUR HORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

